Metal panel roof structure



Sept. 21, 1965 P. L. SCHROYER METAL PANEL ROOF STRUCTURE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 25, 1963 INVENTOR.

P 1965 P. L. SCHROYER 3,206,898

METAL PANEL ROOF STRUCTURE Filed March 25, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 3D flmvc/(L- sawfioyag 29 42 INVENTOR. 7 BY 0? l 7/ 412;: 4-3 KE United States Patent 3,206,898 METAL PANEL ROOF STRUCTURE Patrick L. Schroyer, 12071 S. Downey Ave., Downey, Calif. Filed Mar. 25, 1963, Ser. No. 267,493 3 Claims. (Cl. 52-74) This invention relates to metal roof structure of the type utilizing a plurality of roofing panels of metal channel section, adjacent rolled margins of which are coupled by gutter strips closing the gaps between such adjacent margins to provide a sun-shading and/or rain-shedding composite roof or canopy structure, and has as its general object to provide such a roof structure embodying improved means for mounting the coupled roofing panels in assembled relation upon a plurality of transverse rafter members with maximum water-tight sealing of the margins of the panels to the gutter strips.

A further object is to provide an improved and simplified means for attaching a plurality of coupled roofing panels to a series of transverse supporting rafter members.

Another object is to provide, in such a metal roof structure, improved attachment parts, of inexpensive construction such as extruded aluminum alloy or equivalent, for supporting one side of the roof from a wall of a building, house trailer or the like, and for concurrently weathersealing that side of the roof and its connection to the vertical wall. The invention further contemplates cooperating attachment parts, one section of which can be snapinterlocked with itself to provide a tubular box beam or post, for example.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent in the ensuing specification and appended drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a fragmentary portion A of a roofing structure embodying my invention;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view of a roof struc ture and its attachment to a vertical wall at its one side;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of a tubular structure constructed by pairing and coupling a pair of attachment parts of the invention; and

FIG. 7 is a detail sectional view of a portion of the end channel shown in FIG. 5.

The canopy structure-FI GS. 1-4

Referring now to the drawing in detail, and in particuform in which my invention may be embodied, a roof structure comprising, in general, a plurality of elongated roofing panels A; a corresponding series of gutter strips B coupling adjacent margins of the panels A to one another; and a plurality of rafter members C upon which the gutter strips B are mounted. Rafter members C extend transversely beneath the gutter strips B and are suitably supported in any conventional way, as by being anchored (e.g. at their ends) to vertical walls, pillars or the like (not shown) in accordance with common praclar to FIG. 3, I have shown therein, as an example of one 3,206,898 Patented Sept. 21, 1965 "ice from the lower margins of skirts 11. Skirts 11 may be of semi-cylindrical form as illustrated, or other appropriate shape, and flanges 12 may be disposed as radii of the axes of generation of their cylindrical surfaces, terminating in free edges substantially coincident with said axes.

Each of the gutter strips B is of rectangular channel section, comprising a bottom web 13 and a pair of flanges 14 integral with and projecting upwardly from the respective side margins of the web, and including respective reentrant retainer lips 15, inclined downwardly and inwardly from the upper margins of flanges 14, forming acute dihedral angles therewith, and thus cooperating with the flanges 14 to define downwardly opening retainer slots in which the upwardly projecting flanges 12 are locked in the assembled roof structure.

Rafter members C are likewise of rectangular channel section, each including a top Web 16 providing a seat upon which the transversely extending gutter strips B are sup ported, and a pair of stiffening flanges 17 extending downwardly.

The gutter strips B are tied down to the rafter beams 16 by retainer clips 18 in the form of integral lugs struck upwardly from side pierced apertures 19 in the top web 16 of rafter beam C, and integral retainer flanges 20 bent inwardly from the upper ends of the lugs 18 and overhanging the upper margins of the gutter flanges 14.

Prior to assembly of the coupled roofing panels A to the rafter members 17, the clips or lugs 18 are initially stamped out in reclining positions as indicated in dotted lines at 18 in FIG. 3. The coupled assembly of panels A and gutter strips B which, when unstressed, is contracted to somewhat lesser width than in the finally assembled condition, and is arranged over a predetermined grouping of rafters. Sufficient tension is then applied to stretch the coupled assembly of panels A and gutter strips B until the latter are properly registered between the respective pairs of clips 18 on said predetermined group of rafter beams C, the gutter strips B are then brought downwardly into seating engagement with the top webs 16 of said rafter members C between the respective pairs of clips 18', and the latter are then bent upwardly and toward one another until their retainer flanges 20 are hooked over the upper margins of the flanges 14 of the gutter strips, thus securing the coupled roofing panels in assembly with said rafter members C. This eliminates the necessity for bolts, screws or the like in assembling a metal roof of this type. The spacing between the pairs of clips or lugs 18 is such as to stretch and flatten the roofing panels A just the right amount to develop adequate tension loading of the flanges 12 against the flanges 14 in order satisfactorily to seal the margins of the roofing panels A to the gutter strips B so that even in the heaviest downpour, the gutter strips B will shed all water flowing into them through the gaps between the adjacent skirts 11 of the roofing panels A. Normally, the roof will be installed with a rain-shedding slope lengthwise of the panels A.

The sealing of the flanges 12 to the gutter flanges 14 is accentuated by engagement of the retainer lips 15 again the upper edges of the flanges 12. The pull of the tension-loaded flanges 12 against the flanges 14 tends to flex them to positions tilted away from one another at their upper margins. This brings the lips 15 into contact with the upper edges of flanges 12 causing them to press tightly against the edges of the flanges so as to improve the water-tight seal between the coupled parts.

The gutter strips B can be coupled to the roofing panels A by relative longitudinal sliding movement. One end of a coupling strip can be fitted over the flanged adjacent margins of a pair of roofing panels until the flanges 12 are started in the slots defined in the respective sides of 3 the gutter strip, and the latter can then be slid the full length of the adjacent roofing panels until its ends are properly registered with the ends of the respective panels.

Mounting of roof to wallFI GS. 5-7

FIG. 5 illustrates a roof structure wherein the ends of a coupled array of roofing panels A and gutter strips B are supported and weather-sealed by an end channel unit D which can be an extruded aluminum section. End channel D in turn is adapted to be supported by an attachment channel E and an anchor strip F which also functions as a weather strip. Support is transmitted from a vertical building wall 50 through attachment channelE and anchor strip F to the channel D which in turn transmits the support to one end of the roof structure comprising an array of the panels A. The opposite end of such roof structure can be supported in similar fashion within an opposed channel D which can likewise be supported on a wall of a building at the opposite side of the space covered by the roof. Alternatively, the opposite end of the roof structure can be supported in a conventional manner upon pillars or other vertical uprights so that one side of the roofed space may be open (as in a porch or awning arrangement).

End channel D comprises a back web 25 having a small reentrant channel portion 26 defining an external back groove 27; a bottom web 28 projecting forwardly from the lower margin of back Web 25; an upwardly projecting 'lower front wall 29 having a rearward offset 30, an upwardly and inwardly inclined shoulder 31, and an upwardly projecting pedestal 32 terminating in a symmetrically placed semi-cylindrical locking flange 33. For the upper margin of back web 25, a bracket 34 projects forwardly and thence upwardly and is integrally joined to a cover flange 35 which projects forwardly and terminates in a downwardly extending lip 36. An anchor flange 37 projects rearwardly from bracket 34 as a planar continuation of cover flange 35, and terminates in an upwardly projecting locking lip 38 having a widened bearing bead 39 along its upper margin.

Attachment channel E comprises a pair of spaced parallel flat side flanges 41 and 42 integrally joined by a bridging web .43 to provide a rectangular channel section; an inwardly ofiset retainer step 44 along the upper margin of side flange 41, and a bevelled marginal retainer lip 45 on the free margin of an inwardly offset web 46 projecting from step 44. On the margin of the side flange 42 is a continuous uniform section socket 47 defined between the marginal portion of side member 42 and inwardly spaced parallel branch web 48 which has a bevelled retainer lip 49 along its margin.

When used in the assembly shown in FIG. 5, the attachment channel E may have its side flange 41 suitably secured to a vertical external wall member 50 (e.g. of a building, a house trailer or other structure to which a porch or awning or deck cover is to be attached). The end channel D can then be coupled to the attachment channel E by first tilting it clockwise from the position shown in FIG. 3 so that its lower forward parts 29, 30, 31-33 can be inserted between the side flanges 41 and 42. The end channel unit D is then tilted rearwardly (counterclockwise as viewed in FIG. 5) toward its upright position, causing its shelf 30 to become engaged beneath the socket web 48 and its back member 25 to establish camming engagement with the bevelled retainer lip 45, springing the side flange 41 away from side flange 42 sufliciently to permit the lower portion of back wall .25 of channel D to enter the space between the side flanges 41 and 42, until final'ly it reaches the fully nested position shown in FIG. 5 and the step 44 enters the channel 26 and locks against the lower web thereof as in FIG. 5.

Anchor strip F comprises a pair of jaws 51 and 52 integrally joined in a slotted cylindrical tubular structure, and an integral flat wing 53 extending tangently therefrom and suitably apertured for attachmentto a vertical wall member. The slot 54 defined between jaws 51 and 52 is adapted to receive the abutment web 38 of channel D when the anchor strip F is tilted (clockwise about from the position shown in FIG. 5) so as to bring the slot 54 to the bottom of the strip. The jaws 52 and 51 are then fitted over the abutmenteflange 38, the bearing head 39 passing upwardly through the slot 54, and the strip F is til-ted (counterclockwise) back to the upright position shown in FIG. 5 and is then secured to the vertical wall of the building or other housing structure, with the lower jaw 52 seated in a shallow groove 55 in the underside of anchor web 37, and with the bearing bead 39 braced against the jaw 51, thus locking the lip of jaw 52 in the mating groove 55. The wing 53 is then suitably secured to the wall 50 to lock the channel unit D securely to the wall.

The same extrusion which provides the anchor strip F, or any suitable modification thereof, is used to provide an attachment strip P which can be secured to the bottom webs .13 of a series of gutters B along one side or end of the roof structure disclosed in FIGS. 1-4. FIG. 5 discloses a longitudinal sectional view through one of the roofing panels A and a cross sectional view through one of the rafter units. C. The completely assembled roof structure A, B, C can be attached to the end channel D- by sliding the attachment strip F longitudinally over the seat 33. Any suitable securing means can then be utilized for fixing the roof against shifting movement along the seat 33 from its properly assembled position.

FIG. 6 discloses how the attachment channel E can be paired with itself to provide a post or beam of rectangular sectional tubing which can be utilized as a vertical support post in a deck cover construction. Two of the channels E are herewith arranged in said proposed relation, with the socket 47 of one channel registering with the retainer lip 45 and its web 46 0f the other channel. The retainer lips 45 and their offset webs 46 can then be inserted into the opposed channels 47, and by the application of sufficient pressure, the branch webs 48 can be deflected inwardly so as to spread the channels 47 sufliciently for passage of the retainer *lips 45 past the retainer lips 49. The insertion is limited by engagement of the steps 44 against the edges of flanges 42, and when such an engagement occurs, the retainer lips 49 will snap back into hooking engagement with the retainer lips 45 as shown in FIG. 6. Once this attachment is effected, the two sections of the tubular post or beam will be securely and permanently attached one to another. The two identical channels B, when arranged with the long side 41 of one channel coupled to the short side 42 of the other channel, will provide a structural member of rectangular tubular section as indicated in FIG. 6. Such a compositechannel cut to appropriate length, and provided at its ends with suitable conventional attachment brackets or other fasteners, can be utilized as a structural pillar or post for supporting other members.

Various combinations of the structural units of .the invention are possible. For example, in the arrangement fragmentarily illustrated in FIG. 5, the coupled array of roofiing panels A and gutter strips B may be supported cooperatively by the combination of end support members D, E and F attached to a vertical building wall and supporting the assembly of roofing panels A and gutter strips B at one end thereof, together with the support of intermediate portions and opposite end portions of the array of roofing panels A and gutter strips B by transverse support units C the respective ends of which may be supported by any conventional supports S as previously described.

I claim:

1. In a metal roof or ceiling structure, a canopy comprising a plurality of roofing panels of channel section; means joining adjacent margins of said panels to one another; an attachment strip of F-section comprising a downwardly-opening channel part embodying opposed jaws and a wing secured to said panels transversely thereof along one side of said canopy; and an end channel of C-section including a back web attachable to a vertical Wall, a bottom extending forwardly from said back web, a forward wall extending upwardly from said bottom and having a widened supporting seat along its upper margin, said seat being engaged in said channel part of said attachment strip and retained between said jaws, and a cover extending forwardly from the upper extremity of said back web and cooperating with said bottom to enclose said side of the canopy.

2. A structure as defined in claim 1, further including an attachment channel of rectangular channel section receiving the lower portion of said end channel and providing a supporting connection to a vertical wall; an anchor flange integral with and projecting rearwardly from said cover, spaced upwardly from the upper rear corner of said end channel, and having a longitudinal retainer groove in its under face, an abutment lip extending upwardly from said anchor flange; and an anchor strip of F-section similar to said attachment strip, having a channel part receiving said abutment lip, said channel part comprising an upper jaw seated on the upper margin of said anchor lip and a lower jaw engaged in said retainer groove, and an integral wing attachable to said vertical wall.

3. In combination; a structural channel comprising spaced parallel side flanges and a web bridging said flanges at right angles thereto; an inwardly-offset retainer socket of continuous uniform section defining the longitudinal margin of one of said flanges and integral therewith; and

a bevelled retainer lip defining the longitudinal margin of the other flange, said lip being offset inwardly from the outer face of said flange; and an end channel of C- section including a back web attachable to a vertical wall, a bottom extending forwardly from said back web, a forward wall extending upwardly from said bottom, said forward wall having a longitudinal shoulder and an inwardly offset portion projecting upwardly from said shoulder and terminating in an integral, widened, longitudinal supporting seat along its upper margin; said back web having a reentrant longitudinal retainer channel of proportions such as to receive said bevelled retainer lip of said structural channel with a hooking attachment of said retainer lip to said retainer channel; said structural channel being proportioned to receive the lower portion of said end channel with said bevelled retainer lip hooked into said retainer channel, with said end channel bottom superimposed over said bridging web of said structural channel, and with said longitudinal shoulder retained beneath said inwardly offset socket.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,714,233 8/55 Martin 20-57.5 2,739,356 3/56 Aldridge 20-57.5 2,830,334 4/58 Schroyer 20--57.5 2,976,969 3/61 Gillespie 189-34 2,979,789 4/61 Laperouse 20-57.5 3,081,849 3/63 Hubbard 189-41 X HARRISON R. MOSELEY, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN A METAL ROOF OR CEILING STRUCTURE, A CANCOPY COMPRISING A PLUALITY OF ROOFING PANELS OF CHANNEL SECTION; MEANS JOINING ADJACENT MARGINS OF SAID PANELS TO ONE ANOTHER; AN ATTACHMENT STRIP OF F-SECTION COMPRISING A DOWNWARDLY-OPENING CHANNEL PART EMBODYING OPPOSED JAWS AND A WING SECURED TO SAID PANELS TRANSVERSELY THEREOF ALONG ONE SIDE OF SAID CANOPY; AND AN END CHANNEL OF C-SECTION INCLUDING A BACK WEB ATTACHABLE TO A VERTICAL WALL, A BOTTOM EXTENDING FORWARDLY FROM SAID BACK WEB, A FORWARD WALL EXTENDING UPWARDLY FORM SAID BOTTOM AND HAVING A WIDENED SUPPORTING SEAT ALONG ITS UPPER MARGIN, SAID SEAT BEING ENGAGED IN SAID CHANNEL PART OF SAID ATTACHMENT STRIP AND RETAINED BETWEEN SAID JAWS, AND A COVERF EXTENDING FORWARDLY FROM THE UPPER EXTREMITY OF SAID WEB AND COOPERATING WITH SAID BOTTOM TO ENCLOSE SAID SIDE OF THE CANOPY. 